Cocktails In Boquete

Man that heat is knocking me out down in David. I think I'm getting old. Did my citywide search for a drill adaptor this morning to no avail. I bought stuff I didn't need because I may have been able either to marry it to some other piece found in some other hardware or auto parts store or just 'para explicar' to the next hapless chap as to what it was I was looking for.

During the course of my travels I did learn something about diamond cutting saw blades, namely that out of the three types that are made, only the two that I don't need are for sale in Chiriqui, unless it's the wrong size with a diamond shaped center hole which won't fit my machine. The one I want is 'liso,' or smooth.

Remember I said I laid two rows of block for the roof support yesterday as a test for the mortar? I wandered out back to see what Hidalgo was doing and he had managed to disassemble that and start rebuilding it in another location. w? t? f? We corrected the situation before I went off on my initial search. Primo continued with the wall.

I returned empty handed and frustrated. It was dawning on me that I would have to make another trip to David and repeat my search there and was thinking of calling Bob for a ride. But first decided to call the Do It Center to see if I even had a chance. No one answered the phone. I heard a car on the gravel outside, poked my head out and found my old friend Rene pulling up with his taxi.

Rene used to be my airport and border taxi back in the days when I had no patience with the bus and a lot more money. I'd rent his services for days at a time and sometimes his wife Janet would ride along with us. I hadn't seen him in months as he normally works out of the airport, but today he had a fare close by and came to see what had become of me. I gave him the nickel tour.

I explained to him what I was looking for tool-wise and he said of course he knew where I could find anything I wanted, so off we went. But first, remember the blocks Hidalgo was building? Supposedly using my level? Rene and I poked our heads out back just before we left and burst out laughing, as Hidalgo was in the process of building a pyramid. Sometimes you just can't get angry and sometimes it's just so funny it hurts.

Primo declared himself 'done' with the mudding and mending so I handed him the paint pot and told him to follow up where Hidalgo had 'painted' before and finish the top half of the men's room. The following shot is what a self-proclaimed expert calls done:

Here's the wall.

Off to David.

After the Do It Center, two other places and almost two hours later we came upon a new joint that any American would recognize as a tool or parts place. I felt hope, esperanza. Rene launched into his spiel, counter guy's face had the look of an android, like Hymie on Get Smart or Data from Star Trek without the bad makeup. He produced a number of offerings that were a no go. I asked him if he had a Stanley catalog. Blank stare: I pointed to another catalog in front of him on the counter: recognition.

We started from scratch and I went through the items he recognized. The socket that Materiales Karen had supplied Hidalgo with last week was a fifteen-millimeter with a half-inch drive and it almost fit. He had the bolt with him at the time so they could size it correctly.

Android boy took another measure of the bolt (yes, I was loaded down with everything) and determined it was a nine-sixteenths. The socket he presented during our Kabuki fit, well, better. We finally got down to brass tacks and realization dawned on him as to what we actually needed. He presented an adaptor. It was for a quarter-inch drive. And no, there were none either in three-eights or half-inch available. Oy.

But I did buy the 9/16ths three-eighths drive socket, and an extender- just in case. Rene had a brainstorm and off we went, ultimately to a place that fixes diesel fuel injector systems that he knew had scrap metal and a welding machine laying about. We were just going to get a piece of steel and cut it to fit between two of the adaptors that I had picked up this morning. It would be 'good enough.'

The owner was an old friend of Rene's and we had fun chopping up pieces of metal until the guy made the suggestion that if we would just go buy a cheap hex wrench he would cut it and weld it into one of my extensions. We did, and he did and here 'tis. Done.

But we were hungry by this time and I had seen a new Pizza Hut open on the main highway. I wanted a meat lover's pizza.

After thirty minutes without having one single waiter or waitress look us in the eyes, studiously ignoring our pleas as they accelerated past our table, I went up front to grab the 'hostess.' She appeared affronted that I would actually call our plight to her attention. She also began avoiding our table by directing new customers to their seats via the far side of the room, so we headed toward KFC, until I heard the sound of a Jack Daniel's cheeseburger from Friday's calling my name.

I also remembered there had been some interest from two of their bartenders wanting to come to work for me (one was the national champion in an inter-Friday's competition). We had lunch, I left my number with one of the guys I know and then we went to pick up Janet to accompany us back to Boquete. On the way to get Janet, Rene pulled out a ratchet from the glove compartment with a 14-millimeter socket. I tried it on the bolt. It fit perfectly.

Hidalgo was waiting, guarding the place after hours (I'm never going to fire this guy) and he called us out back to see his handiwork. It was almost as I had pictured it in my mind (slightly uneven but, fix that in the morning with a bit of mortar). It was a beautiful sight to behold.

Feeling lucky in a very Clint Eastwood kind of way I grabbed a ladder while Rene loaded up the drill ('taladro electrico' for those following the bouncing ball). I picked the most out of whack bolt on the beam, and it seemed like it wanted to grab, but…..

The second one was the charm. It worked, and tomorrow I'll be attacking the remaining bolts as the fellas get to work on the two side beams.

Posted by petefredbob at 08:08 PM | Permalink

OK then. Just back from Roxane's Steakhouse where I had a most pleasant dining experience and will endeavor to write it up on the Boquete dot ning site. Maybe tomorrow.

Deyanira was a no-show today so I started out painting. After Hidalgo was done securing the rest of the screens he took over the paint pot. And I mean pot, as in cooking pot. I needed something to hold the wood treatment for the termites about six months ago and the little lady wasn't around so my medium saucepan was pressed into service. It is now a handy paint holder. She's still not happy about it.

We'll run a final coat tomorrow on the red, finish the top of the men's room and get ready for the yellow.

The wall is very nearly done and ready for sanding, missing some small additional pieces around the wall sockets where Primo was a little too zealous with the blade. But close. I did a test mix on the mortar for the final roof support box and laid two rows of block. That will be done and ready for planting the post tomorrow.

The front roof support beam is hanging in place, but the anchors keep spinning. I need to get some kind of socket adaptor for my drill to spin those suckers into submission. We'll be doing a citywide hardware store search on the morrow.

I'm thinking all the currently planned roof supports should be in place by Friday, and I'll finally order the zinc roofing then. Hope it's not windy on Monday or I may wind up doing my Wizard of Oz trick. The back pieces will be eighteen feet long. I'm really jonesing to start laying out tile on the bar, or at least putting the paneling on the front, so that may be a Sunday thing.

Photos tomorrow.

Posted by petefredbob at 09:28 PM | Permalink

While at the bar for 'lunch' today Motorcycle Phil (to be abbreviated from now on as Moto-Phil as opposed to Roca-Phil) like most visitors is fascinated with Punja the ocelot. After she was done checking out the chickens she came over to the table to hang out and see what was up.

Phil took the leash and walked her around Recuerdos for a bit until she came upon Paco the dog. She freaked. Now Punja is no ordinary cat. She's strong, assertive, and though she has yet to use her claws to my knowledge, has plenty of them.

I took the leash from Phil, but basically read in her eyes, "You yank me back to the table I'll scratch your eyeballs out." Well that's what I thought I saw, and not taking any chances I put her leash around a table leg and left her until my landlady came back to deal with her. I ain't no Marlin Perkins.

So just a few minutes ago (10:30 PM) I heard some racket out the front door and found my landlady and one of her employees washing Punja under cold water, with the regular housecat looking on seemingly quite amused. Apparently Punja had gotten into something messy.

One of the things that freaked me and Phil out is that Punja has something between a purr and a roar when she talks. It's not a meow type of thing, and this afternoon she was sounding off loudly.

From my front porch tonight I heard the same growl when she was being washed off. I don't know if I was more amused at myself for being timid today, or at the housecat sitting there not three feet away watching, and imagining the internal dialog going on in his head.

Posted by petefredbob at 10:37 PM | Permalink

Having trouble thinking up stuff for this post as the day seemed to drag on forever with all the excitement of watching paint dry. Which, by the time Deyanira was done putting it on with the brush, it almost was. The mudding of the wall went on all day and still isn't done, and only two out of the four security screens are up. Another screwdriver bit was worn out from abuse. Every time I think I've got a running start at it the Panamanian version of 'Manana' kicks in. It was a warm and gorgeous day and I'm thinking the crew would rather have been elsewhere.

The upholstery Viejo came by today (MS Word keeps capitalizing 'Viejo' so I'm just leaving it) with his measuring tape and I'm just waiting to either wince or cry in relief when he gives me the quote. I hope it's not the 'wince' thing as I just don't have time to learn a new trade.

Fernando came by to tell me again how my electric circuit for the lights is screwed up and will be back tomorrow with more stuff to fix it. He still won't answer me about splitting the light circuit from my main upstairs circuit, which means he can't or won't do it. He also feigned off his answer about the band to his drummer, which means they're going to want to charge. I'm going to offset whatever it will be with free drinks and see if he bites.

By the time 2 o'clock had come around motorcycle Phil came by and we headed next door for a beer. Hidalgo came into the bar a few times but it wasn't until I finally went back over around three I figured out he was trying to tell me he was out of small screws. Tomorrow 'is' another day and by gum that beam will go up even if Sieg is hogging my new bar slave Gary.

Posted by petefredbob at 08:25 PM | Permalink

Wall is rocked (yea!) Mud goes on tomorrow, paint the next day.

Benches are there except for a little bit in the corner. Got new screwdriver bits for the drill, but one is on its way out already.

Security screens will be dry enough tomorrow to reinstall and we can get to work on the outside of the windows and trim.

Big work will either be the blocks and roof support or if Gary comes by we'll have another attempt at the front beam. Got the longer bolts ready for that as well.

It's almost going smoothly this week, and if that keeps up maybe el Viejo will come by on Wednesday as planned to start on the tile for the bar. One can only hope.

Another Viejo came by today with an interest in the upholstery work. Told him to come back tomorrow and we'll talk. Lots of big black ants with red behinds wandering about today. Killed a bunch of them, but it's a never-ending battle. I've got to order up some of my favorite ant stuff Terro. Once it works it's good for about three months, good stuff, highly recommended.

This is a plant (tree?) out in front of the place. As I walked up to it today it just reminded me of that plant in Little Shop of Horrors.

Posted by petefredbob at 06:45 PM | Permalink

Primo is back! He's already working on the sheetrock. I apologized for being insensitive on Thursday. Sending Hidalgo to get new screwdriver bits for the drill, and longer bolts and washers for the front beam. Deyanira (yes, I remember her name now) is putting the second coat of paint on the men's room and then will start on the security screens. Glorious Monday!

Yesterday on my day of rest, windy rainy and cold, the internet connection decided to get weird. Ftp program, Skype and two out of three instant message programs worked. I could get my email off of my server, but not from Hotmail. The http protocol was kaput.

All the diagnostic tools told me I was connected just fine. Being that Skype worked I called my buddy in the States and he started walking me through pinging stuff and checking DNS servers. We got to the point of rebooting the router and modem (again) and I knew I was going to lose Skype. I did, and luckily for me his computer geekery overcame his loathing for paying for international calls, and he called me back at home when it became apparent I wasn't calling him.

We're still not exactly sure what we did to get it all working, but we're 'pretty' sure the modem uses the IP address usually reserved for many wireless routers, which was confusing. Luckily, my router has a different IP address than normal, which helped during the troubleshooting.

Posted by petefredbob at 09:03 AM | Permalink

*Late Update Below:

Just because I mentioned it before, here is a photo of the 'cute' washing machine. The left side does the washing and the right side does the spinning to toss off the extra water.

These are, um, air plants. At least that's what Sandi told me. She's got them artistically sitting on a couple of pieces of suspended wood. I don't get it, but she pointed out a bunch of them from the car the other day. They were just hanging out on some trees. As long as I don't have to water them they'll live I guess.

We cut out a notch in one of the roof posts today to accommodate the beam going between the buildings.

But at the end of the day the beam still rests. The buildings just aren't exactly even and I've got to reposition the holes. Oh well, Monday I'll be bien fresco.

Damn near got the benches finished and covered, but when I came back downstairs from lunch both screwdriver bits were toast. Got to buy a couple more, also on Monday.

Fernando the electrician also decided to put in an appearance today and told me I had the wrong electric boxes for lights. As my brain cleared and I looked at them again I noticed he was correct. Below are examples of right and wrong.

Here we are all changed out.

Shuffled around the blocks today to figure out where I wanted the last post but didn't get to the actual mixing mortar stage. It's Saturday dude.

Good news is that Fernando is going to play our inaugural. Better news, that I'm still waiting for, which would be he gets his band to play. I'm appealing to their sense of justice that the Boquete Jazz Festival doesn't have any Boquetenos playing jazz. Problem is that they had played Zanzibar back in November and actually got paid. We'll see what the bill is.

*Update late: I was in a rush to get this posted and my ftp program froze up transferring pictures while my dinner companions waited in the car. I just wanted to thank Gary for coming by today and humping the beam up the ladder (mmmm… more than once) and instructing Hidalgo in the finer points of not binding up a circular saw while cutting two by fours.

Tomorrow will be dark.

Posted by petefredbob at 05:14 PM | Permalink

A little better today. Got the bench together, mostly, but of course the top didn't match the bottom. Hidalgo started out with the gringo machete but ultimately preferred the regular one. He did a much better job than I did with the gringo version. Got all the light boxes wired along with an outlet. All I got to do is figure out what fixtures are going in and twist the wires.

New female worker today, forgot her name already but she can clean. Had her hit behind the bar and she did so well I had her redo what the guys did the other day. Bathrooms are done too. Worth every nickel.

Tomorrow she gets to start painting. That's right, Bob and I picked up the paint, and some blocks for the roof support out back, and the tile, and the laminate. One of the girls at the paint store was definitely barmaid material, until I watched her struggling to do her job.

It took two employees to open the buckets, add tint to the machines and mix. I actually helped get one of the tint cans open as it was becoming un-cute. I'll probably get the rest of it off my hands by sometime tomorrow. She would have looked good shaking a cocktail, but I'm not up for retraining the employees between drinks.

Tomorrow we'll start off cutting sheetrock and then to the bench seats and fronts, until and if Gary comes by. If that happens we'll change up immediately for the roof support beams, and after the first three are up hit the blocks out back and see if we can get the final support cemented in to set for Monday. I'm having the strangest sense of déjà vu at the moment. Ever get that? Weird.

Jack and George came by to kibitz today for a few minutes and said they'd be on the lookout for suitable employees. It's getting to be that time folks, any locals reading that have recommendations for barmaids that can at least fake a smile for an interview, send them by. This weekend I'll make the initial list for the booze order and get that going. Any further suggestions for favorite liquor should be put in the comments here before Tuesday. Not saying we'll get it, but we'll consider it and see if it's available.

I'm going to have to figure out how to accommodate private bottles as well. Maybe a dollar per drink handling charge or glass rental or mix setup or something. Anybody familiar with a good system go ahead and throw that in the comments too. And remember to tip your servers, this is a gringo joint.

Posted by petefredbob at 05:54 PM | Permalink

To say that today went to hell in a hand basket wouldn't be much of an exaggeration considering what I had planned. It was supposed to go like this: The two guys were to sheetrock the back half of the wall while I wired it, then do the front. Then cut the plywood for the benches, then get the beam up out front and call it a day or do the block-in for the middle roof support in the back, if the blocks showed up. Tomorrow would see the rest of the roof supports go up.

Come ten o' clock however, Primo hadn't showed up. I had put Hidalgo on the bricks again, having bought a wire brush attachment for the power drill. And even after having him watch me do it for ten minutes, and then another ten minutes with suggestions about how to 'get into it' by letting his mind wander while doing the rote movements, it just wasn’t going well at all. I decided to go to El Constructor a little early.

My plan was to be real calm about it, not yet having the blocks on this the third day, and soften the blow a bit by buying some stuff there first, instead of at Karen. On the way there, by chance I ran into--- Primo. Walking his girlfriend to work (which happens to be at the Century 21 office, which I found out by having a late lunch at Choko Chettas). He seemed as surprised to see me as I was to see him. He waved, I called him over to talk. He kept walking. The fucker blew. Me. Off

I continued my trek to Constructor. I got Verushka and pointed at some wire hanging from the ceiling that was exactly what I wanted: flat, white, three wires. Then I asked for 'caneleiras,' the name I actually don't know in English because I never used them before coming to Central America.

They are those white plastic molding strips that attach to the wall or baseboard that hide electrical wires. As everything is made of block or concrete down here it's a lot easier than taking a hammer and chisel to the wall. She said she'd go and make sure. About five minutes later she emerged with fifty feet of white cable with two wires, not three. I pointed again and mentioned that the cable I wanted had three wires.

She said that it wouldn't fit in the caneleira. Command decision time: two wires were just peachy, as I was only wiring up lights. OK. Then the electrical boxes for the light fixtures. As I went to pay I said I'd be back to talk about my 'problem.' Very long story short, no matter how much I said it wasn't her fault, she took it personally, was close to tears, said a couple of things I won't repeat, and pointed back over her shoulder to a woman that I should tell my sad story to.

Oh well.

So I did go tell my sad story and it turns out that neither 4 inch nor 8 inch blocks were actually residing in the depository out back. They gave me my money back.

I returned home with my wire, electric boxes and caneleiras only to find; wait for it, Primo hanging outside chatting with Hidalgo. I called them both inside and explained the facts of life. I went on for about thirty minutes and realized that it was only with great restraint that Primo wasn't rolling his eyes. He just wasn't getting the fact that I didn't appreciate his behavior. I asked him how much I owed him for (I knew it was two days) and how much I was paying him per day. I then handed him his money and told him if he really wanted to he could come back on Monday, as he had blown my plan for the day.

As the phrase goes, 'shock and awe' appeared in equal proportion on his wide-eyed gaping face. It took about a minute to sink in and he took off. I'm pretty sure he ain't coming back. After about ten minutes it was apparent that Hidalgo wasn't going to be worth anything, so I paid him for the day and told him to come back tomorrow.

He later showed up with a woman friend of his and asked if she could come and work tomorrow. Not knowing what she might possibly do but not knowing anything else to say, I said 'sure.' Tomorrow promises to be tricky.

But then the lovely Sandi showed up with her gardening implements and greenery and I at least got to tell my tale of woe as she planted and watered and cut. Finally I went inside and started drilling and attaching the fixture boxes to the wall and wiring up the joint. Then Gary came on by and introduced himself. We chatted and he offered to help but by that time it was a one-man job.

Then we went to lunch at Choko Chettas. The day was officially done.

I'll hit the drywall and the plywood tomorrow morning and then in the afternoon we have 'tentative' plans to go pick up the errant tile and laminate for the bar in David. And pick up some concrete blocks. Gary said he'd be by again on Saturday so we'll see if four of us can get at least one metal beam up. Oy.

Posted by petefredbob at 06:53 PM | Permalink

As happens here sometimes things just don't go as planned. Still no cement blocks from El Constructor and Hidalgo couldn't bring the ladders for placing the metal crossbeams. Plus his woman decided she didn't really want to come in to clean today.

So we switched up a bit and had the guys clean the bathrooms and seating area in exchange for getting to use the circular saw and cutting the wood for the second bench. We also did some patching to get ready for paint.

I'm heading into David with Bob today to pick up the materials I ordered on Saturday, and maybe a ladder and the plywood for the benches and sheetrock for the wall. Maybe paint, though Sandi says I shouldn't join forces with Bob in that adventure (see Sandi, I told!). We'll just play it by ear when we get there.

Looks like I've got another sucker that wants to pitch in and contribute to the place. Gary from the Boquete dot ning site left me a message. I'm waiting for him to click 'add' as a friend so I can give him private directions to the site.

Much later, after a nap:

Picked up a sink for the men's room, sheetrock, plywood, center punch, hot water heater, washing machine and two ladders. No tile. No paneling for the bar. Tile guy says tomorrow, wood guy says Friday.

Folks living here know what the deal is, for those of you who don't this is as typical as a bajareque breeze. And just try to get your money back if enough time passes so as the item in question is no longer useful. I actually raised my voice at the wood guy over the phone. Hope I didn't put off my delivery even further.

No cement block so far either. The owner of the El Constructor is always hanging out making sure all the gringos get attended on so I'm going to attempt to make life hell for a certain delivery guy with the stink eye when I go talk to him. Lunchtime tomorrow is the cutoff for that. I'll have to be diplomatic, as El Constructor is one of those places that comes in real handy at times.

Bob and I had to dance a little to get the stuff. Rodelag, the place with the washing machine and water heater had made no attempt since Saturday to get the water heater from the warehouse to the store. They pulled the washing machine from the floor. The warehouse over by Java Juice wasn't open as it was lunchtime (close to 2 PM), so we headed to Home Depot/ Do It Center, as Plywood (or Playwood as the signs in the parking area out front say) didn't have sheetrock.

I had priced a ladder locally in Boquete for just over a hundred bucks last week and the Do It Center was having a sale for $55. I bought two, and Bob may buy one from me when the job is done. There was a stack of sheetrock about chest high on the floor, 'on sale' also. It was 3/8 inch, and close enough for government work so I asked the guy to write me up a ticket. He asked, "which size?"

Sure enough the bottom half of the stack had 1/2 inch sheets for 50 cents more, so I took some of those instead. Went to the check out, finally joined the frequent buyers club, had the guy help us out to the car with the ladders and began to wait for the sheetrock.

Twenty or so minutes later I went to Rey to get us something to drink. A little while later I went back in to get the mounting bracket for the sink- which was not included as the nice man had previously told me. At around the 45 minute mark I walked to the back of the store and noticed two guys un-stacking sheetrock. They actually stopped when I got there.

I pulled another guy and told him I'd help. We started throwing sheetrock. Then one of the original guys came back and he grabbed somebody else. I said I'd be waiting outside. It was well past lunchtime when we got back to Rodolag for the water heater. There's more, including the speed trap motorcycle cop, but you get the idea.

Back at the ranch the guys had finished cutting all the wood for the north bench and had tentatively pieced it together oh happy day.

No progress pictures today but I think Sieg will get this one. Hasta manana.

Posted by petefredbob at 08:23 PM | Permalink

While Pete is working away assiduously on the Cocktails bar-to-be in Boquete, straining to find this or that, constructing something or another, putting up with scorpions and ocelots and enjoying visits from another species called 'lovely Sandi,' I sit here in Canada and stew. I want to be in a warm place too. I can't remember ever having met an ocelot or a scorpion face-to-face. I've known a Sandi or two in my time, but judging from the picture Pete kindly posted of the lovely Sandi helping in the garden, I suspect that the caption should probably have been 'the lovelier Sandi.'

I understand, from Pete's writings here, that Sandi has a boyfriend named Bob, so let me say to Bob: My friend, I am a curmudgeonly old coot, but please don't take offense if I compliment your girlfriend. She is indeed lovely; it appears that she has horticultural talents, and judging by her comments and posts at http://boquete.ning.com she is smart as well. I just call 'em as I see 'em. I will be happy to share an drink with you two and to get to know you both when I am in Panama in late February.

I know that a number of other folks who hang out at http://boquete.ning.com are in the loop with this Cocktails bar project, and I hope to meet those of you who reside in the Boquete area as well.

I love Panama, but like some others I have difficulty getting some things done there. I will appreciate being able to share experiences (good and bad) with others, perhaps get some advice (or at least commiseration) and generally use any excuse to have a friendly drink in the tropics with some interesting people. I will have some friends and/or partners with me and they will enjoy the experience as well.

So... Pete, keep up the great work. I look forward to reading about your daily adventures here. And, I am oh so jealous.

Posted by Sieg at 01:12 PM | Permalink

Didja' ever notice how everything stops when you get a splinter? I tried to take a picture of the one I pulled out today but it was so small and the camera wouldn't even focus on the end of the Q-Tip where I put it. I've been injured, but pound per pound that tiny little piece of wood stuck in there under the skin, just by brushing up against something, visits more pain upon a person than a Celine Dion concert.

Punja came by to visit today and I finally let her inspect the premises.

She attacked the hat soon after this shot.

Approving the bar.

Made three trips to the hardware stores today. These will be the fasteners used for the front beam to go between the two buildings. The second trip was to make sure my hammer drill would accept this monster 3/4 inch bit.

Then they ordered up the wrong size blocks, which I noticed only after I paid the bill. Did they show up this afternoon? Um, no. That meant a fourth trip at the end of the day to plead with them to deliver first thing in the morning.

Third trip was to buy a posthole digger. I was hoping to appropriate my electrician's, but he still hasn’t got back to me. At least the last 4 by 4 post is in the ground now.

My drudgework for the day was wire-brushing the cement off of the bricks out front.

But it wasn't all dusty dreary work as the lovely Sandi came by with plants and assorted gardening implements to start putting the finishing touches on the garden out front. God bless the horticulturists among us that make the world pretty. Me? I just kill the stuff without even trying.

And the debris in the corner of the yard was finally removed, but only to the far end of the back yard. There will be a bonfire one day soon, or, 'en la madrugada' I should say, so the neighbors won't be awake to complain.

Posted by petefredbob at 08:34 PM | Permalink

Found out a few moments ago why the 2 by 4's didn't come on Saturday, the boss's truck broke down. It's a small operation around five hundred meters or so from here and I've been known to hump a couple of pieces to the house on my back, or on Hidalgo's, when I really needed to.

The foreman was there and he told me as soon as they can get some kind of vehicle they'll get the 2 by's over. I also went down to order the metal crossbeams for the outside roof at Materiales Karen. I begged Verushka from El Constructor yesterday to come over and check my measurements but she couldn't make it. Not a big surprise then when I found they really don't make 25 and 30 foot sections like I wanted.

I had been told by various people that they could custom make virtually any size piece cut to order, but I didn't know what the limit was. Now I know and I'm glad I didn't get that last post in the ground last week as I would have been short by about six feet.

As it stands I'm going to have to figure out how to place a post for the back porch somewhere in the middle of what I've got going on now. The plus side is that the decision whether or not to use concrete blocks or a wood or an iron railing has been made for me. I'll have to encase the added support in block or cement so we'll just make it look like I meant it that way from the beginning.

About five hundred meters in the opposite direction from the taller de madeira is another small business that offers tours on horseback. They often canter by in front of the house with their pale-skinned clients of varying equestrian skills. They are either doing well or somebody hit the lottery because for the last couple of months they've been doing construction on the place. It's on the way to Karen so I've passed in front dozens of times and have exchanged many como esta's with the work crew.

From the get go I was impressed by the design and execution of their new building and it looks like they're adding a hotel feature. I turned the corner onto the main road and looked across the field at it and was further impressed enough to take a few photos.

I decided to stop on the way back and see if the owner or one of the job bosses were around and got lucky. The main contractor is Allen Candonedo and he gave me the nickel tour.

Later: The sand came, woo hoo!

Later still: Hey, the wood for the benches is here too. Waiting for the metal beams. Could we have three for three?

I also have a call into my errant electrician as I want to see if he'll play trumpet or bring his group for opening day. I'll have to go back and check email but I think Sieg is coming right around that time and it's apparently the opening day of the Boquete Jazz Festival.

The festival people were a little late getting their act together this year but they finally sent the emails for the schedule out last week and we have a working link for them on the sidebar, or Here. It would be cool to have a Jazz band for opening day of Cocktails and the Jazz Festival, no?

Just reread some stuff and was reminded that Seig is coming on the 18th or so. Sorry Sieg. The festival is running the 15th, 16th and 17th. Still haven't heard from Fernando at now 5 PM -ish. We'll have to see what happens.

And later still: Yes, we have metal.

Today is yet another substitute type day as Primo decided not to show. I started out by asking Hidalgo to clean the corner of the yard, which is the last thing I want done with there so as to get onto other things. I'd been trying to get them to clean it for three days, but there seems to be some kind of 'block.'

So Hidalgo decided to work on the garden, which is already done enough, instead. The usual kibitzers came by and I went down to redirect his energy. Came and went to Materiales Karen, twice, and he again scampered to the corner. Came and went to the wood shop, I shot this photo on my return.

Now that the sand for the cement has arrived he's finishing up with the bricks instead (I changed my mind about how to finish them (I was going to put sod or colored pebbles in the little squares).

Here is the corner at coming up on 2 PM.

Tomorrow is another day, and if el Primo no show, he fired. Alice now has a permanent job so she's not coming to clean, triste, so despite my long standing policy of no spouses working together, Hidalgo's woman is coming in for two days to whip the bar into shape for painting starting tomorrow.

Posted by petefredbob at 04:57 PM | Permalink

Clean up and get ready day today. All extraneous stuff has been removed from the bar area except for tools and materials I might need. Cleaned the dry mold off of all the paintings and pictures before I dragged them upstairs (getting crowded up here). Did some real drudgework as well sitting on the ground with a nail puller and a hammer scraping stray cement off of the tiles out front.

Months ago I had spent a solid week and went through three wire brushes cleaning up some 'found' tile along the side of the house. I then raked the area where it was to be laid toward the back of the building where I wanted to direct the runoff. I also angled it away from the house into the garden area. I hired a guy to put it down, then I got the flu, bad. I was laid up in the house for three days.

Without going into details let's just say it didn't work out that way and he disappeared halfway through the job. Some time later I hired Hidalgo and another two workers and handed the job over to them to finish. The result was the tile matched up so bad to the existing sidewalk when they were done that over a weekend I took a sledgehammer to it and then poured a new one to better match where the tile wound up.

During the course of all this a number of pieces of tile got covered to varying degrees with cement splotches. After today I probably have another half day of cleaning to get it all done, sometime when I have the time.

I was up early today for some reason and round about eight o'clock I was almost ready to go downstairs and I noticed- no noise. After last week's Sunday morning photo essay and this weekend being the last official days of the Coffee and Flower Fair I fully expected a full house. I poked my head out the door and saw that the crowd was pretty far down the street past Recuerdos, and I continued to get ready.

Then I heard the landlady screaming and I looked out in time to see a pending fight being broken up and her walking away giggling back into the bar (which was packed an hour later around nine A.M.). I went downstairs and set the sprinkler in the garden, which was my grand plan to keep it unoccupied and noticed the cops already on the job rousting a few lay-abouts on the corner. In other words, a very quiet Sunday morning.

Posted by petefredbob at 03:03 PM | Permalink

Today I went to David with Bob to pick up tile and wood for the bar covering and a hot water heater. I managed to order everything, but not bring it home. After two years living in San Jose, which is the big repository of all materiel de Costa Rica, I forget that David is the 'third' city in Panama, and as such not much of a repository per se. Everything has to come from the capital after you order and pay for it.

So Wednesday afternoon Bob gets to drive me back down in the pick 'em up truck to get the stuff. An unexpected purchase was also made of one of those tiny washing machines for cleaning bar towels and the odd uniform. I figured well, being that we've got the truck- but, that's coming on Wednesday too.

Pulled all the decorating stuff out of the bathrooms where it'd been hiding so I can start in there next week. I'll have to make room temporarily for the stuff upstairs after I give it a good dusting off.

Posted by petefredbob at 07:20 PM | Permalink

Updated:

Kinda stumped today. The wood hadn't been delivered by noon so I wandered over to the lumberyard to find the gate locked. A couple of worker bees were in the back but nobody who could help me.

Earlier I heard something outside that didn't sound right and as I looked out there was a truck getting ready to dump a load of sand on my new gravel under Hidalgo's unwavering supervision. I explained to the driver that I did not order any sand, and to Hidalgo why it would not have been a great idea to put it where it was headed.

The first of the cement has been applied around the bricks and we'll finish after lunch. The roof post 'might' get placed by the end of the day. It's Friday. It's slow. Probably just as well, as I managed to tweak my shoulder getting the bench together yesterday and I should rest it.

Plenty of small stuff to do over the weekend, especially if I can talk Sandi and Bob into giving me a lift into David to pick up the tile and wood for the bar, and maybe the hot water tank.

Creature Feature Update: Short version; as I accidentally deleted my first try at an update. Just home from drinks at Amigos you see.

I hate scorpions. I hate them more than wasps. I found one today. I killed it dead. Here is a picture. I will have trouble getting to sleep tonight without more booze.

Posted by petefredbob at 12:44 PM | Permalink

First of the benches is framed out and screwed in, the wood for the second one comes tomorrow en la manana.

Outside is bien bonito as Hidalgo (with rake) and his newly arrived primo take a break. The south forty will be ready by lunchtime tomorrow at this rate and we can finally get the last roof post in the ground and the bricks cemented in out front.

The stylish Sandi and her suave boyfriend Bob stopped by today to say hi and chat a bit. We have tentative plans to hit Amigos tomorrow evening. Phil, you there? Stop on by as well. Sandi, you can comment on this blog as you see fit. Liven up the place.

Sandi and Bob had a bar called the Blue Parrot on Roatan in Honduras, right down the street from Rick's Café American, or American Café or whatever. They swear Sydney Greenstreet had nothing to do with it.

Phil also came by to conduct some business and we took a ride out to his woodshop where I begged him for his hand belt sander. I've a feeling that the three quarter inch ply on the benches is going to need a little touchup and the gringo machete might be a little, um, primitive.

Visiting creatures today were just ducky. It's a regular animal adventure around here.
Hablamos manana.

Posted by petefredbob at 05:58 PM | Permalink

I'm remembering that I had some witticism thought up today to introduce today's post as I was walking back from the hardware store laden with rakes, a hoe, nails and that plastic wire for the Weedeater. But I've forgotten what it was.

But this is likely because I've thought up another better thingy. Just wait. As the photo below shows the first bancara, or bench, is coming right along. I've only to screw into place the upright supports and get to work on the second leg of the 'L' tomorrow. There will be a corner piece, though how I'm going to arrange that remains to be determined.

I'm using 'rustico' two by fours, which means they run whatever they have through the saw, likely either on a Friday or Monday, and if it's close, what the hell? The end product is far from uniform, width and length vary, knots proliferate and the moisture content depends on how close to the front of the stack it is.

Which means I had to mix and match and decide what pieces were more important in which scheme to produce the desired outcome. I guessed wrong, as after top and bottom pieces were assembled, no matter which way I turned them, they didn't match well.

Living in Central America you find that things are done differently than in Leviathan, or even in the Great White North. Especially in Canadia you don't mess around with construction because the smallest little opening will let that Arctic blast chill you to an Eskimo Pie. Here the locals don't even use window screens, they just wind up and smack that bug right back out the window.

Having grown up in the age of power tools it has been an education simply observing the local unplugged construction techniques. For instance, while widening the bridge across the street I observed in minute detail how they cut the rebar, mixed the concrete and built the wood frames. In that last part I was amazed, as when a fine adjustment needed to be made, they used a machete to cut and trim the wood.

I had chosen to use the most 'out-of-true' lumber for the cross braces, cutting them in short pieces to avoid the 'long twist.' But they also turned out to be anywhere from 4 to 4 1/2 inches wide, which meant that, well, it turned out to be fucked up in the middle. So I remembered how the fellas fine-tuned the concrete bridge supports and at the same moment laid my eyes on what will now be referred to as the 'Gringo Machete.'

Worked like a charm.

[In case you missed it, that was the 'witticism' that was 'better.' Gringo Machete, get it? Damn. It really sounded good when I was busting my knuckles.]

Muneco's primo failed to show up again so he worked solo, again, on the yard. Tomorrow should see it finished enough to get some cement work done in the afternoon. I've also decided to rename him 'Hidalgo.' Rumor has it that he killed a man in a fight once and spent time in jail. He's also the only person that my landlady admits to being afraid of. And speaking of cement, two bags finished the straightening job so I could get the bottom bench frame attached well enough to the wall.

It doesn't twist all that much anymore.

In other news two creatures kept me company today: Paco the dog, who also seemed to bring along a varying assortment of insects with him, and a toad (name to be determined if I see him again) that migrated from under the kitchen sink to under the bathroom sink. He first showed up when I retrieved my miter saw, and today when I grabbed the bags of concrete.

Paco likes to chew on sneakers.

Maybe I'll call him froggy.

That's all.

Posted by petefredbob at 09:59 PM | Permalink

I'm beat. Garden was attacked and weeded today and the initial covering up of the bar is done. Lots of detritus to be cleaned up and disposed of. First of the benches to be framed up starting tomorrow. Done.

Posted by petefredbob at 07:28 PM | Permalink

Nothing fascinating to talk about today except that Muneco showed up without his machete, and not wanting to buy one for him I fired up the Weedeater. He cleaned out the cebrado out back too. Tomorrow I'll be amused to see if he remembers how to mix up mortar to fix the bricks and concrete to plant the final roof post. His Primo is supposed to show up as well to deal with the recently assaulted garden and help get rid of the rest of the wind-downed vegetation. Alice is working the flower and coffee festival so I won't see her this week.

More plywood was applied to the bar, and tomorrow will finish that up as I jigsaw the final pieces in place. I could actually use a jigsaw. Then on to framing out the benches.

Thanks to Phil for the Flor de Cana last night.

Posted by petefredbob at 06:43 PM | Permalink

Sunday morning has its rituals for many people. Church used to be a big one in my household when I was a kid. For others it's to start preparing the big Sunday dinner or run out to get the beer and chips for the football games. Here in my little slice of Boquete it's the Sunday Morning Pow Wow. Every Sunday morning I'm awoken by singing, and not by the birds.

It's curious and consistent, occasionally annoying and funny, and sometimes entertaining. This morning's circus was all of that wrapped into one and below I've put together a quick photo series of one particular reveler that caught my eye, not only because he was in my flowerbed.

Let me just say that there were an unusual amount of injuries apparent today, mostly bruised and bloodied faces, one of which happened not three feet in front of me as one chap lost his grip on some other poor bastard's car hood and tumbled face first to the pavement.

I did manage to talk to one of the National Police officers hanging out at the bar next door and asked him to have a chat with the group, after I told him I didn't want to call the local gendarmes (we'll save that for a special occasion). This was after an hour or so of using the circular saw and sander (going for that particular vibratory rate that made the dog bark).

At the persistent- yet gentle, urging of a night stick about half a dozen managed to stumble away out of sight, at least where I couldn't see them anymore, and about half a dozen more managed to get to the other side of the street where there was shade more conducive to a good sleep.

The photos are in the order that I took them.

Posted by petefredbob at 01:54 PM | Permalink

Materiales Karen was having an unexpected inventory today so I wandered up to El Constructor to chat up Verushka. Uphill, in the wind, with plenty of dust in my eyes. You can't swing a cat in this town without hitting a big pile of sand on or near the sidewalk waiting patiently to be mixed with cement. And go figure, the plywood was cheaper, by a lot.

A couple bags of screws later and I was back. I started building this particular bar in a fit of pique. I was anticipating a finished bar made from two large pieces of wood put together in a 'wing' shape and had made the place ready for it. On the day I went to get it I was informed that it was no longer available.

Stopped cold, I went home and stared at the eclectic collection of lumber I had laying about, for about an hour, then got out the saw and a hammer and started banging away. By the end of the day I had my basic shape, and then just kept adding to it. Today I can finally see where it's going, and I've discovered the two cardinal rules of building things: 1). If you keep on adding more wood and more nails / screws, everything will be fine. 2). Plywood can cover a multitude of sins.

A few days ago I wandered up to Banistimo on the north side of town and noticed that my second choice Laundromat had relocated. I looked at the little map they put in the window and thought "that location seems familiar." Yesterday I checked it out and waddya know? It's the first building I rented in Boquete before the Mayor told me to stuff it.

It's only a couple hundred meters from my place now which means no necesita taxi on laundry day.

Posted by petefredbob at 06:36 PM | Permalink

Bob Villa here. Not. The neighbors had me up until three-ish last night 'sound-checking' the new disco equipment with about thirty seconds allotted to each 'tune.' We had words. Tonight, Saturday, is the official three a.m. night here in wild Boquete and I'm weighing my options. So, late start today, went out and got some two by fours and a couple pieces of plywood. And I have a question for those in the know.

The normal two by fours you buy at Home Depot are not two inches by four inches. They're a smidge less, and I used to know why or how that is, but I'm not going to Google it for the moment. But as far as I know a half inch piece of plywood is supposed to be a real half inch. That's what I ordered today, and though it seemed a little thin when I grabbed a hold of it, I didn't measure until the delivery guy had left.

Out of curiosity I did a quick check, and it sure enough didn't quite find a half inch, so I wandered back down to Materiales Karen and bitched a bit. I didn't want them to change it, as it turned out to be sufficient for what I wanted, I just wanted to pay for three eighths. Then they brought me in the back and showed me that they didn't have any three eighths, which is what I assumed I received. Out came the measuring tape and sure enough the wood in the only stack they had was a half inch thick.

Feeling kind of dumb I walked back home and got out my measuring tape again, and sure enough again it still didn't measure a half inch. But it wasn't quite three eighths either. It was hovering somewhere around seven sixteenths. I don't get it. Is this normal? I used two separate measuring tapes just to make sure the metal hadn't 'stretched' on one of them. It still doesn't make sense that the plywood in the back of the shop measured a full half and the wood at my house didn't.

Such are the ways of America Central.

So the footrest on the bar is framed in the way I wanted it, I figured out how to get the final framing done on the main corner to accept the ply for the front and one sheet managed to cover the whole top. Tomorrow is all corners and long strips to be cut and I'll need to get another piece of 'half inch.'

Checked out the quotes I got yesterday and it looks like the top of the bar will be black tile as will be the footrest, and the front will be rosewood laminate. There will be much cutting of tile. Alice hasn't showed up yet, but that's normal in these parts. I won't write her off until Tuesday. Monday is reacclimation day for Muneco, the name I have for my semi-sane Panamanian foreman.

Tuesday we'll measure a final time for roof supports (measure twice cut once) and order up the metal. Done for the day, over and out.

Update on Saturday: That was not Saturday, it was Friday, and the noise was happening on Thursday. And while Saturday normally is 3 am night, this week we have the Flower and Coffee Fair, which means every night is 3 am night. Which explains my sleeplessness and confusion, sort of.

Posted by petefredbob at 07:26 PM | Permalink

Was going to shoot some local color in David today, but when I got to town realized I forgot my camera. I forgot about that quickly enough as the heat began to introduce itself to my scalp. Living here in Boquete and not leaving town too much it's easy to forget that the rest of the country, including just down the hill, is hot.

Found the bartending/ restaurant supply company and it had a small-ish selection of needed implements. They promised that if I brought back photos and descriptions of what I need they would get it for me. From what I can gather it should only be a small shipment needed from the States (or Canadia) that should get us up and running. They even have martini and margarita glasses. No glass straws or stirrers though.

I found a place that could at least 'order' a reciprocating saw (sawzall) for two hundred bucks, so I'm going to have to do a quick assessment of the value I place on my digits and maybe practice a couple of 'quick-drops' of my cheap circular saw from the ladder to see if I 'really' need it. What the hell am I talking about? I've got four of these four-by-four posts that will be helping hold up a tin roof and I need to shave a bit off the top. I hate buying a tool just to do a one-time job.

I walked from one end of town to the other and stopped in about 10 different hardware, paint, lumber and novelty stores picking up little items like lemon peelers and squeezers, a couple of hand graters and different size shot glasses- along with pricing some wood and tile. I smiled and genuflected as a couple of the more excitable sales people wrote up quotations 'including installation.' They're going to be disappointed.

But I did find some really cool black ceramic tile and grout and some semi-cheap rosewood laminate. Decisions, decisions. Next venture downtown will be to search out fake leather for the seats and the elbow rest for the bar. And foam. Lots of fluffy foam.

Also did a reconnoiter of the two big supermarkets downtown where I checked out the lemon and lime supplies. They don't use lemons and limes here, they use limons (lee-moans). They look like and taste mostly like a lemon but they're green like a lime, and they don't cut it. Super Baru didn't even have limons, and Rey had three sad looking bags of expensive 'organic' lemons.

I talked to a couple of guys in the produce department at Rey and they assured me that I could put in a standing order for a case of each every two weeks. I need to go back on Monday before lunchtime to talk to the big cheese to make it happen. Maybe I'll head up to Zanzibar or the Bistro this weekend to see what they do, if anything, about the 'citrus' problem and if they would want to get a piece of the action.

Posted by petefredbob at 09:18 PM | Permalink

It's cold in Canada. Too cold. Unless we like outdoor sports, we Canadians hole up for six or more months of the year, hide in our family rooms beside a fire, drink hot toddies (whatever they are,) and watch TV. Some of us, of course, to ensure that we fit the worldwide stereotype of a typical Canadian, drink lots of beer (Labatt's Blue or Molson's Golden) and belch in both French and English. We live in a bi-lingual country, you see. And, because it is too cold here to exert ourselves, we economize on things, even to the extent of using as few words as possible when we talk. One example is our use of that ubiquitous word 'eh', an expression that has caused much mocking by wannabe Canadians around the world. As far as I know, 'eh' means 'eh' in both French and English. We use it instead of the American 'huh'. Our version can be used in two languages and is one character shorter than the American version. Efficient? You bet. Smart? And how!

So, ya wanna have a cocktail, eh?

You bet. I'm so damn cold, I wanna have a cocktail. Not only do I want to have a cocktail, I want to have a cocktail somewhere warm. Someplace like Boquete.

I want to dispel that myth that Canadians are all timid and risk-averse and lacking in any spirit of adventure. Who the hell came up with that notion? If that were true, would three Canadians invest in a bar-to-be that none of them has ever seen, partnering with a stranger, a nefarious man named 'Pete' of whom virtually nothing is known?

I think not.

Mark and John and I (my name is Sieg) have joined together with the aforementioned Pete to start up a bar called 'Cocktails' in Boquete, Chiriqui, Republic of Panama. And in this blog some or all of us involved will recount our adventures.

We'll have fun. At the end of February, we hope to be in business. And we'll be waiting for your visit.

Posted by Sieg at 04:01 PM | Permalink

Those who know me have watched as I moved from the Colossus known as Los Angeles to explore the Tropical non –Paradise known as Costa Rica, and then struggle to escape its clammy death-like grip to a country with an even higher machete to resident ratio, home of pockmarked ex-strongman Manuel Noriega, my newly beloved Panama. (It's the place with that big canal.)

And though one day I hope to ultimately migrate even further south to the land of ubiquitous G-strings and Carnival, this moment in time might just prove to be the conclusive argument God can make in order to justify my existence (and all the crap He's put me through). And as they say 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating,' so let's get to whipping up some desert, eh?

Today I'm coming down off the high that only new money can bring as I hop the bus to David and root around the distributor called, no shit, 'Plywood' and a bar equipment supply joint that sounds like it's called 'Era' (I'll find out how close my interpretation is once I get down there and start asking around for it). And "why" you may ask "is this a significant thing?" Well because at least three people, sight unseen- and Canadians at that- have seen fit to take me at my word that I'm going to build a bar and they think that this is a swell idea, and are in the process of providing me the last bit of funds that are needed to do so.

Synchronicity and pure stubbornness have chosen to lay together to birth the most clichéd fantasy child since Rick's famous joint in Casablanca. The world war isn't touching us here- though the smoking police are making their scurrilous rounds- but bribable border guards still tend to be the norm as well as other forms of petty corruption and populist politics.

To the task at hand: for the last nine months I've been in fits and starts using up the last of my capital to hammer together a watering hole in a badly constructed two-storey quasi-A frame. Stalled for six weeks or so while my landlord began to use the place for storage, It's now been given new life and I have thirty days to do the impossible, all the while reporting my progress, or lack thereof on this new Oprah-fied internet forum under the constant scrutiny of my backers, and the odd web searcher who happens to click on the wrong link.

Today or tomorrow the hard-drinking Alice will show up to begin weeding the neglected flower bed out front and scrubbing the walls inside to get ready for paint. The landlord will send a crew over to remove her junk from the main bar area and back patio. Before the end of the day I hope to be back in time from the city to order up some more two-by-fours for tomorrow so as to continue building the bar footrest and benches, and on Monday my very own machete wielding Panamanian madman will attack the jungle out back.

More to come......

Posted by petefredbob at 10:57 AM | Permalink

And so.... Welcome to the Boquete Cocktails blog, wherein a group of Canadians and their crazy American counterpart will attempt to create a place of imbibance and imbalance in the wild hills of West Central Panama. A truly international adventure we invite you to join us in our alcoholic endeavor and watch while the bar grows from a shell to a comfy concordance of camaraderie.

I would be Pete, the American, and as my partners figure out how to operate this blog contraption they will bye and bye introduce themselves.

Cheers!

Posted by petefredbob at 04:54 PM | Permalink